Play Time (1967)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Tati

Writers:

Art Buchwald (additional English dialogue)
Jacques Lagrange (writer)

Release Date:

27 June 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Monsieur Hulot has to contact an American official in Paris, but he gets lost in the maze of modern...

Plot Keywords:

Tourist | Architecture | Paris France | Salesman | Mistaken Identity

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jacques Tati	...	Monsieur Hulot
Barbara Dennek	...	Young Tourist
Rita Maiden	...	Mr. Schultz's Companion (as Rita Maïden)
France Rumilly	...	Woman Selling Eyeglasses
France Delahalle	...	Shopper in Department Store
Valérie Camille	...	Mr. Lacs's Secretary
Erika Dentzler	...	Mme. Giffard
Nicole Ray	...	Singer
Yvette Ducreux	...	Hat Check Girl
Nathalie Jem
Jacqueline Lecomte	...	Young Tourist's Friend
Oliva Poli
Alice Field
Sophie Wennek
Evy Cavallaro

Also Known As:

Playtime (USA)
Tempo di divertimento (Italy)

Runtime:

France:155 min (with intermission and exit music) | 124 min (2002 restored version)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | English | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:S | France:U | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12 (nf) (w)

Filming Locations:

Joinville, Haute-Marne, France

Company:

Jolly Film

Trivia:

Was added to Roger Ebert's "great movies" list in August, 2004.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#9.4)" (1996)

A humorous look at the 'international' architecture movement

Others have commented about Tati's artistry and his sense of humour. I won't add to that.

One thing that many seem to miss is the physical setting for virtually the entire film, which is in and around international-style architecture. Tati continually pokes fun at it, demonstrating how inhumane much of it is in practice. Although idealistic and pure in some sense and appreciated for that (consider Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan), it is often better looked at or visited than lived in.

From one viewpoint, the entire film can be seen as a criticism of that architectural school. It may be the only film that concentrates its energy on architectual criticism.